ORLANDO, Fla. — More Venezuelans are calling Florida home after escaping the country amid political tensions.

What You Need To Know

  • According to the UN Refugee Agency, more than 7.7 million people have left Venezuela in search of protection and a better life

  • More Venezuelans are calling Florida home after escaping the country amid political tensions in recent years

  • Spectrum News met a 17-year-old Central Florida senior whose family had to start from scratch after leaving their home country for a better future

Per the U.S. census in 2010, there were 215,023 Venezuelans in the U.S., but in 2020, that number nearly tripled to more than 600,000.

So far in 2024, over 310,000 Venezuelans have entered the country, according to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

That follows a 2022 extension of Venezuela’s designation for temporary protected status.

Many of those refugees have found a home in Central Florida, including 17-year-old high school senior Maria Daniela La Cruz Cegarra.

Currently enrolled at Lake Buena Vista High School, she is embracing a passion for piano, and is part of the school’s jazz band.

“I learned when I was 7 years old in Venezuela,” she said.

Her family left Venezuela to escape harassment from the government in February 2022.

“There was, like, protests in Venezuela and my family business was getting like the consequences of it,” said La Cruz Cegarra. “My family was really scared about that.”

She says leaving everything behind and starting from scratch has made her stronger.

“The first eight months were honestly was really, really hard,” she said. “Having to get used to talking a new language and engaging with new people.”

The commitment to her future has led her to early accomplishments like maintaining a 4.4 GPA, pursuing dual enrollment at Valencia College and winning this year’s Hispanic Youth Leadership Award by the Hispanic Heritage Network of Orange County.

She also joined the Minority Leadership Scholars initiative in her junior year and gives back, by tutoring other minority students experiencing language barriers.

“Sometimes the language barrier, it makes them hard to understand, but they’re actually brilliant,” she said.

She also teaches students about different Hispanic cultures and the importance of spreading their voice.

“I want to connect with them through the same culture or even different cultures,” she said.

She says her family has supported her throughout her time in Central Florida where they sought temporary protected status. TPS allows those already in the U.S. to stay and work legally if their home countries are deemed unsafe. 

According to the UN Refugee Agency, more than 7.7 million people have left Venezuela in search of protection and a better life.

“I am worried, always, because of our immigration status,” said her mom, Vanessa Segarra.

Both she and her family are also in the process of seeking asylum, awaiting next steps under an incoming administration come January when President-elect Donald Trump takes office. 

Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance, have said they would cut back the use of TPS for some countries.

“We’ll be adapting to the laws he enacts,” said Segarra. “We hope he considers who he will be deported or not, because we’re a family that came here to work, and to give our children a better future.”

La Cruz Cegarra’s family says they will re-apply for a TPS extension soon.

She will graduate from Lake Buena Vista High School in May and plans to study finance.